Exiled by Maya Banks - 3 out of 5 stars

I'll start this off by saying I'm a huge fan of both authors. They're both on my auto-buy lists and have been for years. However, this is the first time I had an issue with the premise to one of their stories. In this case, Exiled by Maya Banks.

Xander and Talia met by accident in his father's office in the palace when she was a young woman of 18. Since that time, Xanders father was overthrown, his family exiled off to different places and Talia's...

Exiled by Maya Banks - 3 out of 5 stars

I'll start this off by saying I'm a huge fan of both authors. They're both on my auto-buy lists and have been for years. However, this is the first time I had an issue with the premise to one of their stories. In this case, Exiled by Maya Banks.

Xander and Talia met by accident in his father's office in the palace when she was a young woman of 18. Since that time, Xanders father was overthrown, his family exiled off to different places and Talia's had to deal with her mom having cancer, going to university and growing up more. Xander actually funded Talia's university education and also paid for the treatments for Talia's mother's cancer treatment. In return for this he'd had a contract of sorts drawn up that 'gave' him Talia for a set period of time do 'do with as he would'. (view spoiler)

And that's where I have the issue. Basically he lies to her, way too easily I might add. I've read many other D/s and BDSM books prior to this one but the way this is handled just didn't sit right for me. His treatment of Talia, to start with, while is definitely in the D/s world, leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe it was that he expected this woman that he supposedly cares for to just take on the D/s world without question. Maybe it was that he took no care for her feelings at first. While he was a good lover and took care of that aspect of their agreement, he expected her to mold to his world and then be let go after their contract was concluded. Now to be fair, he did explain that he never intends to let her go, AFTER they have been together for 2-3 months. And I did come to like him after a time, and the whole arrangement in the story.

While I had issues with the story, it was still well written. And no this won't deter me from reading Maya again. I've never before had an issue with her characters or writing, so why would it.

Sway by Lauren Dane - 5 out of 5 stars

I have been waiting for this story since Lauren announced the new series. I absolutely LOVED the Brown Sibling books and that she extended into Gillian's friends with the Delicious series is terrific! Sway was awesome from the start all the way through to the very last page.

Levi catches a glimpse of Daisy for the first time dancing the jitterbug at a dance studio he goes to for a dance class. He's only there to placate his new sister-in-law to be. He is fascinated by the brief glimpse he gets of Daisy. He lands in the wrong class, where he ends up partnering her and becomes more intrigued. He then runs into her at an office building, where she's displaying some of her art work. And again at the grocery store where he finally asks her on a date. She turns it into dinner at her house that night.

They are literally a perfect couple for each other, but Levi is all sorts of worried over their age difference. He's 41, and Daisy is only 24, but a seriously mature 24. He's also worried about the dynamics between them. He's a laywer, and Daisy is a voluptous, tattooed artist who is comfortable in her own skin. Levi, is not so much there, because he's got 'family obligations'.

They enter into what they think will be just dating and it falls into something much more, much deeper for both of them. Including the BDSM side of Levi. He introduces this lifestyle to Daisy, who in many ways slides very easily into 'sub-space' and is very accepting of all that Levi does to her/with her. They ave both very sensual, sexual people that are very comfortable with that side of their personalities.

Of course there are bruises and bumps in their relationship along the way. I won't get into those because that would ruin the story for you. So you'll just have to read it and say hello to Levi, Daisy, Jules, Mary, Cal, and Gillian. ;)

This is a very well written BDSM story, the characters are very likable, very easy to see in these situations, and that includes the secondary characters. There are glimpses of Adrian, Gillian, and Miles from Never Enough, and also Daisy's friends Jules, Mary, Cal, and Delicious, Jules's coffee/pastery shop.

This was an awesome story! I wish it had been a full length novel.

Sway by Lauren Dane. Book 1 of the Delicious series

Taken from Ms Dane's website - SWAY will be in the CHERISHED Duology with me and Maya Banks - both our books will have a contemporary BDSM theme. It's also the start to my DELICIOUS series, the spin off from The Brown Siblings books.

Levi Warner is an established, older man--wealthy, powerful, and above all, respectable. Then Levi meets Daisy, an uninhibited 24-year-old dance instructor and artist, not exactly the kind of woman Levi is...

Sway by Lauren Dane. Book 1 of the Delicious series

Taken from Ms Dane's website - SWAY will be in the CHERISHED Duology with me and Maya Banks - both our books will have a contemporary BDSM theme. It's also the start to my DELICIOUS series, the spin off from The Brown Siblings books.

Levi Warner is an established, older man--wealthy, powerful, and above all, respectable. Then Levi meets Daisy, an uninhibited 24-year-old dance instructor and artist, not exactly the kind of woman Levi is accustomed to. But the young, free spirit, brings out something in him he only experienced in fantasies. When their scorching affair turns into something unexpectedly deeper, Levi finds himself torn between preserving his reputation, and exploring a wilder and much more satisfying kind of life.

Review

I really enjoyed this novella. It is a erotic ROMANCE. It has emotional complexity and a simply wonderful heroine. She radiantly knows herself and is loved and demands love.

Levi is more messed up. He had an awful marriage, thinks he is too old for our heroine, and is a Mr. Scaredy Pants with risk. Never the less, I get why Daisy digs him and he grovels real well.

If you have read the Brown series and the other books in the Delicious series, you will find this yum yum yummy.

It is unexpectedly moving and has perfect balanced of believable BDSM. love, and humanness.

Very good!

Exiled by Maya Banks

Enticed to the island paradise where an enigmatic prince is living in exile, beautiful, virginal Talia is introduced to a world of forbidden pleasure where the prince's every whim is fulfilled and her fantasies are rendered in exquisite detail. But when the prince is summoned back to fulfill his duty to his struggling country, reality is thrust upon Talia all too soon. She returns home, heartbroken, convinced she was a passing fancy for an idle ruler and his most trusted men. Until the day they arrive on her doorstep, determined to have her back where she belongs.

Review

Banks is a very good writer but for me this novella is mainly erotica and not erotic romance. I actually like polyamorous love story a great deal. I have reread The Ninth Orb by Kaitlin O'Connor so many times if it wasn't on my ereader it would be in shreds.

But I struggle with contemporary or basically non paranormal, urban fiction, or fantasy set poly love stories. I like the anthropological look at love within a culture that accepts multiple partners. There are some writers (like Dane) than can write convincing long term commitment menge set in our world, but Bank's novella failed on that level for me.

I think it didn't work for me because of vigin fetish mixed in with the BDSM and the fact the lead hero was the king of a small island country. This is sort of high fantasy in itself but not workable for me.

I never connected emotionally. Its really well done erotica though, if you are looking for that kind of fun.